“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots, the other is wings.” Teaching children values and giving them the opportunity to excel is essential to good parenting. However, I feel I must also provide my children (and myself) insight into the ones who came before us: our ancestors whose lives and stories have shaped us into who we are. This is my journey; these are their stories…

Posts Tagged With: French history

On this day, 7 March 1342, Joan of Valois, Countess of Hainault, passed away. She was my 22nd great-grandmother through her grandson Thomas of Woodstock, my 23rd great-grandmother through her grandson Lionel of Antwerp, three-times 20th and three-times 21st great-grandmother through her grandson John of Gaunt, and my 21st great-grandmother through her grandson Edmund of Langley.

Born circa 1294, Joan of Valois was the second eldest daughter of Charles of Valois and Margaret of Anjou.

Born on 13 May 1254, in Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium, Marie was the youngest child and only daughter of Henry III, Duke of Brabant, and Adelaide of Burgundy. She joined brothers Henry (born circa 1251), John (born 1253), and Godfrey (birthdate unknown).

My genealogical researches have uncovered dozens of devout ancestors. This is the fifth installment of a series of posts titled “Doing God’s Work: Our Families’ Faithful”, documenting the lives of those who served God.

In the previous post of this series, I focused on family members who served either as Abbott of Abernethy or Abbott of Dunkeld. Now, I will discuss the life of Ebles I de Roucy, my 30th great-grandfather, who died on 11 May 1033.

In life’s travels, we often take side trips. Some side trips prove to be integral aspects of our life’s journey, as in higher education, career choices, marriage, or having children. Others prove to be enlightening and exciting diversions.

In this series, Passport to the World, I will help tell my own life story by revisiting the side trips I have made. The first stop is France.

On this day, 21 October 1221, Alix de Thouars, hereditary Duchess of Brittany and Countess of Richmond, passed away. She was my 25th great-grandmother.

In 1201, Alix de Thouars was born in Brittany, France. She was one of two (possibly three) known children of Gui de Thouars and Constance, Duchess of Brittany. Alix had a twin sister named Catherine de Thouars. She also had an older half-brother Arthur I, Duke of Brittany, and an older half-sister Eleanor de Bretagne, the children of Constance’s previous marriage to Geoffrey Plantagenet.